Dover Athletic 1 Braintree Town 1 match report: Both captains score as James Dunne’s first-half penalty cancels out Kyran Clements’ early opener

Both skippers scored as Dover responded from their first defeat this season with a home National League South draw against Braintree on Saturday.

Defender Kyran Clements gave the visitors the lead early on but Whites captain James Dunne converted a penalty to earn his side a share of the spoils.

Angelo Harrop’s team went close inside the opening minute at Crabble. A long ball forward fell kindly for Tom Blackwell but his effort struck the post.

It only took six minutes for the visitors to score, though. Blackwell’s corner was hooked past Whites’ on-loan Bournemouth goalkeeper Billy Terrell by Clements in relatively simple style.

The hosts, who lost 1-0 at Tonbridge on Tuesday, threatened for the first time in the 13th minute when Zidan Sutherland sent Chevron McLean’s right-wing cross just wide.

Four minutes later, young Whites midfielder Henry Young became the first player to go into book before Clements squandered a golden chance to double his and his side’s tally, soon after.

Dover then grabbed a much-needed equaliser shortly before the half-hour mark. Luke Baptiste went to ground under a challenge and referee Robert Claussen gave the spot-kick, which experienced midfielder Dunne, 33, calmly converted as he sent away keeper Jack Sims the wrong way.

It almost got even better for them in the 32nd minute, too, but Nick Dembele fired narrowly wide from John Oyenuga’s free-kick.

Joe Grimwood got his head to a free-kick but missed the target himself at the other end, as both clubs threatened but there were no more goals before the interval.

Charlie Naylor - part of the Whites’ back three in an attacking 3-4-1-2 formation - went close, just three minutes into the second half. He drove forward and let fly from distance and